Community Based Responses to a Growing Climate Crisis

Ashford University Community Based Responses to a Growing Climate Crisis PPT

Group Assignment: Critical issues in Community Work Practice

Assignment overview:

Selfcare, anti-oppression practice and knowledge of climate crisis, are critical issues in the field of community work. The importance of selfcare, particularly in this pandemic, is essential to our practice. Selfcare is necessary in this field, as it enables practitioners to bring their full focus to their practice. An effective community worker must be prepared mentally, emotionally, physically and with appropriate knowledge and skills to ensure good practice. Practicing from an anti-oppression perspective is key to ensuring that programs and services are delivered equitably across diverse populations within our communities. And with a growing climate crisis that impacts all essential services, community workers must understand and mitigate its multiple and interconnected dimensions in our communities and beyond. As community work is an inherently collective approach to the world, we understand these issues as ones that must be addressed together and reject a neoliberal approach to any of these topics.

On Facilitation:

Your small group is tasked with the co-facilitation of a class discussion on your selected topic. Facilitation skills are most important in community work. These are the “process” skills used to effectively engage with community members. Facilitation is a method to ensure people are fully engaged in process, adding their knowledge and experience to achieve a desired goal. The focus is on how people participate in process, not only on what is achieved. The HOW & the WHAT are equally important. A facilitator brings their knowledge of the topic and incorporates a process to engage with and integrate knowledge in the room or online space.

Groups and focus:

 Working in small groups, you are tasked with preparing for and co-facilitating a class discussion. Your group selects one topic from those listed below for your primary focus, and you should also integrate the other two topics as they impact your primary focus. As relevant, draw on your placement experiences to inform both the content and the process you include in your cofacilitated session. You have 60 minutes for your co-facilitation exercise. Groups are to be consolidated by week 2

Co-facilitation topics:

1. Selfcare in community work practice

2. AOP practice perspective in community work

3. Community-based responses to a growing climate crisis What to do:

a) Consolidate your group of x-y students. Share contact information and method/time to meet

 b) Groups select a primary focus from the three above.

c) Dates for groups’ facilitation to be agreed upon in class.

d) Discuss, research, analyze and prepare material for your group’s co-facilitation.

 e) Determine how your selected focus is impacted by the other two.

f) Determine which group member will take on what aspect of facilitation.

g) Submit the group’s prepared material to your professor via email the day before your session.

h) Each group member is to document their participation and contribution to the group process and results  

This document should be submitted on Blackboard within 3 days of the group’s co-facilitated session.